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Casting off on The Lady on a mild but dull day following early brightness after reading Daniel’s school reports and ringing my first dove chick. Cruising through Buckden and Brampton to moor at Godmanchester for a fish-and-chip dinner as the miners fear Coal Board threats and sanctions and Mount Pleasant sorting office is back to work but planning a strike ballot
Awake and my paper already arrived and so an early morning read whilst drinking my morning tea. Down to breakfast of boiled duck egg with buttered toast fingers and then up with relief to get washed and dressed, dodging Joan, who by now had arrived to start the days cleaning. Out to the doves to feed them and also managed to attract the attention of the grizzle hen and so all were away from the dovecote. I put the ladder up and looked at the baby dove and managed to insert ring number 3571 onto its left leg with some trepidation and so I hope it stays on. Then to the ducks and to retrieve 12 eggs, which is also good. Inside to find the post arrived and with it Daniel’s end of Spring term report from Kimbolton. I run through it with him and we find him improved in most aspects, but still pretty average overall. Daniel then off on his bike around Paxton and me to get the toolkit from the boat and make a start on adjusting our balcony windows. A long job, but with the sun shining brightly, an enjoyable and satisfying one. Eventually, lunchtime and all to eat rolls and fillings with ice cream to follow. We decide to cast off on The Lady in mid-afternoon and so I phone Miss Eadie of Vintners at 1.00pm and give her two hours to organise arrangements for a Thursday exchange of contracts. Then a couple of hours preparing the boat and loading up all manner of provisions and clothes for the trip. Eventually, all ready and I agree to phone Vintners tomorrow to check the progress. Both TV and stereo are installed aboard and so with our pressurised hot water and central heating it is a home from home! We cast off at 3.15pm and, after a circle turn around Paper Mill lock Island, we cruise downstream and Daniel takes the helm as I deploy the lifebelt, fenders and flag masts.
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Warm but windy day at the start of better weather finding a newly-hatched dove and walking to Paxton Pits before and after a trip to Cambridge for a Wimpy lunch and a Copper kettle afternoon tea. News of our contract exchange for acquiring next door as more domestic industrial unrest distracts the country from the appalling circumstances of the unjustified aftermath of the South African demonstrator killings
Groggily awake and then the morning paper with tea until breakfast. Washed, dressed and out to the doves to feed them on a mild, but windy, morning. I used the ladder to check on the dovecote and, surprise, surprise, one of the eggs has hatched and formed a tiny squab. Then the ducks and only 9 eggs this morning, but the litter is very soiled, which always puts them off. To the office to collect my mail and then all off together to Cambridge for a day’s shopping. Diana dropped off Daniel and I to deposit Daniel’s microcomputer for repair and then parked the car. Daniel then spent time in W H Smith and Dixons, whilst I read my computer papers and sit in the town square. All together for lunch at the Wimpy, then Daniel and I went to the church tower for a panoramic view of Cambridge. After to Jean Pain to search for old prints of the Grey Heron and eventually found three. Then to browse through other galleries, but nothing of interest. All together again at The Copper Kettle for afternoon tea and then off home to St Neots. A quiet late afternoon and early evening and walk to the Gravel Pits and back, as the wind hurried the black clouds across the sky. A call this afternoon from Vinters and it seems that we are trying for a Thursday exchange of contracts on the purchase of 7 Willow Close, so that the Kimbers can secure their house purchase.